The Offspring’s Dexter Holland Talks ‘Coming for You,’ New Album Progress + More
The Offspring recently dropped a new single "Coming for You" that's serving as the first taste of what's expected to be a new album. 'Loudwire Nights' host Full Metal Jackie recently spoke with The Offspring's Dexter Holland about their new single and also got an update on their album plans, plus spoke about Holland's passion for flying. Check out the chat below.
Dexter, there's been no definite release info about the new album. Is that clever marketing to create anticipation or are you still working on it?
We're not that clever [laughs], we're just lazy. Every other time we've done a record, we hunker down and go into the studio for a year or however long it takes. We just decided not to do it that way this time. We thought let's just do a couple of songs, work on them when we feel inspired and when we have it done, we thought, why wait? Let's just go ahead and put it out.
"Coming for You" was recently released. What does that song reveal about the overall sound about the other new songs you're working on?
I'd say we're maybe halfway through with writing the songs on this record. We've got some work to do still. People have described it as a throwback song in a good way, [laughs]. I'll take that! I don't know. Everyone always says play your old s--t, so we're making new s--t that sounds like old s--t.
That seems to be a good plan. [laughs] Dexter, is there a game plan ahead of time or is it a spontaneous free flow of ideas when you get in the studio to make an album?
Yeah, it always ends up being spontaneous. As much as anyone wants to have or says they have a game plan, I don't think doing anything creatively really works that way. You can kinda have a general direction, or thinking where you want to go when you start but it always takes on a life of its own.
Dexter, as a pilot, does flying clear your mind and heighten the flow of creative ideas when you're up in the air?
Flying is my golf. I know people do different things to get away or get out of their heads for a minute. I really do love flying. There really is a peacefulness to it.
I thought the only reason people golf was to have an excuse to wear funny pants.
Or drink a lot. [laughs] A lot of people think of flying as a dangerous sport. What's dangerous about a singer in a rock band flying his own little plane? That's what I always say. Besides that, I think it's actually really peaceful and freeing when you're up there. It's really cool. I've actually gotten some song ideas up there. I had the first idea for "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" when I was flying one day.
Oh, that's very cool. Have you had any ideas for this new record while you were flying?
[laughs] No, I don't think so.
You don't wear fancy pants when you go up flying? I'm thinking golf, I'm thinking an excuse to dress weird. Maybe flying? [laughs]
No, my boxers. I fly in my boxers.
[laughs] That's funny. When you've had the level of success achieved by The Offspring, does it change the way you measure the success of each new album?
That's a trap you can fall into where you feel like the bar is set so high when you have something that's done real well. But that's really difficult because you never know what people are going to like or what they're not going to like. Different kinds of things appeal to people. Really what got you there in the first place was doing what was true to yourself writing the kinds of songs and music that you like. If that happens, if it creeps into your mind you have pull yourself back and go -- we just need to do the kind of record that we're going to be proud of.
You celebrated the anniversary of Smash on tour last year. How has the way you perform those songs changed from playing them so many times?
[Laughs] You get pretty good at playing a song after you play it for that many years, right? You don't have to think about it too much anymore. The funny part about Smash is that there are some songs on that record that just never made it to the live set and so we we're actually playing some of those songs for the first time. Songs like "Not the One," the deep cuts off the record, so that was funny to walk into band practice 20 years later and be learning a song off that record.
Can you tell us anything about where things stand for how the year's going to look? Do you have any idea about the timeframe for the album? Tour? Anything like that?
We've been recording the album at a real relaxed pace, like I said. Just when we feel inspired and go in and eventually we'll get it together and go in and really finish it -- knock it out. In the meantime we've got a bunch of touring lined up for the summer. We're going to be doing a lot of stuff in the U.S. and going to Europe towards the end of the summer for festivals. What do they say in Spinal Tap? The world and elsewhere.
[Laughs] Awesome, we're all looking forward to hearing some new tunes and seeing the band live again. So, thank you so much for being on the show.
Thank you! Nice talking to you.
Thanks to The Offspring's Dexter Holland for the interview. The "Coming for You" single is currently available at iTunes. Look for The Offspring on tour at these stops. Tune in to Loudwire Nights With Full Metal Jackie and Tony LaBrie Monday through Friday at 7PM through midnight online or on the radio. To see which stations and websites air ‘Loudwire Nights,’ click here.
Listen to The Offspring's "Coming for You"